Trio of CCGs could be among first to gain authorisation

STRUCTURE: Three clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in Leicestershire and Rutland will be among the first to go through authorisation.

The trio of CCGs – Leicester City, West Leicestershire, and East Leicestershire and Rutland – were among 35 nationally chosen by the new NHS Commissioning Board Authority to go through the process first.

CCG leaders said their inclusion in the first wave of those to go through the authorisation proccess was recognition of the progress made across the area by GPs and managers, working with the local primary care trust cluster.

“We are delighted to be included in the first wave of the authorisation process,” said Professor Azhar Farooqi, co-chair of Leicester City CCG.

“We’ve worked extremely hard to get to this point and the progress we’ve made is testament to the effort of everyone involved.”

Dr Dave Briggs, chair of East Leicestershire and Rutland CCG, said the organisations had benefitted from “excellent support” from the PCT.

“We are very much up for the challenge of proving that we have what it takes to formally take on these new responsibilities,” he said.

WORKFORCE: NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland’s director of finance Sue Bishop has been selected to sit on a national group looking at preparing financial leadership for, and beyond, the transition.